With only two episodes of “The Office” left to go – another hour-long one tonight at 9 (featuring some terrific Jim and Dwight stuff), and then what is for now a 75-minute episode (and could get longer) next Thursday – I’m feeling awfully nostalgic about our time spent at Dunder-Mifflin, and so are a lot of the actors.

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a behind-the-scenes clip of Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey providing a tour of the set. Today, it’s time for another exclusive with Fischer and Kinsey, this time answering fan questions about which “Office” character they most resemble, what it was like filming romantic scenes and, most importantly, which “Office” character would survive a winner-take-all tournament to the death. (Both women very quickly arrive at the same conclusion.)

Upfront Week willing, I’m going to write a longer tribute to the life and legacy of “The Office” sometime next week. Whatever you think of it now, this was a great (and influential) comedy for a long time.

From time to time I watch episodes from seasons 2-5 on Netflix to remember what a great show it was. The Dinner Party is so underrated. Letting Melora Hardin go was a big mistake.

By: Brian

05.09.2013 @ 4:00 PM

I do the same, although I’m not sure why you (and honestly, many others) discount Season 1. Diversity Day, the Alliance, Health Care and Basketball are really strong episodes IMO.

By: Evan

05.09.2013 @ 5:03 PM

I’m so glad to see that I am not the only one who thinks Dinner Party is underrated. Such a great episode!

By: Jess Haynie

05.09.2013 @ 5:37 PM

Brian… A-freakin-men! “Diversity Day” may be the single best episode of the entire series. The other three you mentioned are all top notch, as well. Yes, the pilot was kind of rough, but everyone seems to dismiss the rest of Season One unfairly.

Honestly, “Booze Cruise” is about the only Season 2 episode that I think holds a candle to those four.

By: Brian

05.09.2013 @ 5:45 PM

There needs to be some sort of “Best Office Episode” Tournament. Diversity Day is definitely up there.

Michael Scott: [during Diversity Day] God, I don’t know… Maybe I should have gotten some food or something.
Kevin: [Wearing the Italian sign on his head] Maybe some spaghetti.
Michael Scott: No Kevin, stop with Diversity Day for a second!

Michael Scott: Abraham Lincoln once said that “If you’re a racist, I will attack you with the North,” and these are the principles I carry with me in the workplace.

Dwight Schrute: OK, do me. Something stereotypical so I can get it really quick.
Pam Beesley: OK, I like your food.
Dwight Schrute: Uh, Outback Steakhouse, I’m Australian, mate!
Michael Scott: Pam, come on, “I like your food,” no, come on, stir the pot. Stir the melting pot, Pam! Let’s do it, let’s get ugly, let’s get real.
Pam Beesley: OK, if I have to do this, based on stereotypes that are totally untrue, that I do not agree with, you would maybe not be a very good driver.
Dwight Schrute: [shocked] Aw man, am I a woman?

Toby Flenderson: [joking] Hey, we’re not all going to sit in a circle Indian style, are we?
Michael Scott: [serious] Get out.
Toby Flenderson: Oh. Sorry.
Michael Scott: No. This is not a joke. What you said was offensive… and lame, so double offense. This is a place of welcoming, and… you should just get the hell out of here.

Michael Scott: You’ll notice I didn’t have anybody being Arab. I thought that would be too explosive. No pun intended. But I just thought, “Too soon for Arabs.” Maybe next year. Um… You know, the ball’s in their court.

Oscar: Both my parents were born in Mexico. And they moved to the United States a year before I was born. So I grew up in the United States. My parents were Mexican.
Michael Scott: Wow. Wow. That is… That is a great story. That’s the American dream right there, right? Um, let me ask you, is there a term besides “Mexican” that you prefer? Something less offensive?

By: Alex

05.09.2013 @ 6:18 PM

@Brian: If only because season 1 was largely based on the british show. Season 2 began all original material.

By: sepinwall

05.09.2013 @ 6:19 PM

Alex, only the pilot was based on the British show. The stories for the other 5 episodes that season were new.

By: Lizzy

05.09.2013 @ 3:44 PM

These women are so amazing. I’m going to miss this show so much.

By: Daniela

05.09.2013 @ 7:29 PM

I wish we could watch these videos from Canada.

By: Drake

05.09.2013 @ 8:06 PM

Alan, do you know yet if the finale is being made available to critics early? Just wondering if we can expect a review immediately after airing or not. If not, do you think you’ll be writing a review that night or will you have so much to say about the series that a wait until the next day would be more likely?

By: Jim

05.10.2013 @ 12:32 AM

Love Angela. She seems like a cool woman. She’s a riot when she’s on Craig Ferguson’s show.

By: BigTed

05.10.2013 @ 12:49 AM

I really hope they can redeem Pam’s character from the path she’s been on this season. Her unwillingness to give Jim enough leeway to pursue his dream job — one that might set their family on a much better financial footing — seems entirely unreasonable, especially since what she’s clinging to is a workplace and people she’s never seemed to care about all that much. If they both end up living in Scranton and working at Dunder-Mifflin for the rest of their lives as a result, that would be even more of a soul-crushingly sad ending than even Ricky Gervais could have devised for them.

By: goodhorse

05.10.2013 @ 1:28 AM

I disagree with your take on Pam’s character.

Her concern stems from a marriage where her man is suddenly more stimulated by success than family – he is willing sacrifice irretrievable time with wife and children to make money. Living in Scranton with a complete family and satisfied wife is better than living on the road with lots of money, away from your family and a heartbroken wife.

For my closing argument we should look to the Godfather! The difference between the Don and Michael is the Don never lost perspective of the importance of family over business. Michael prioritised business over family, ironically for his family. But lost his family (and soul) in the process.

By: BigTed

05.10.2013 @ 2:27 AM

Pam had a chance to move their family to where Jim was working so they all could be together, and she refused. Now he could go on the road for three months, with the potential payoff being that they sell the new company and makes a lot of money, and then they could live together anywhere they felt like from then on. Pam, frankly, has never had a lot of courage — she stayed in an unhappy relationship for years, she quit trying to be an artist (and even a paper salesperson) at the first signs of failure, and now she’s willing to spend her life purchasing office supplies when a little risk could result in long-term success. So I think we would care a lot more about her unhappiness when Jim isn’t around — the way we’ve certainly cared about her well-being in the past — if her behavior didn’t seem so selfish and short-sighted. And I hope the last episodes find her developing some more courage — I think that would make for a happy ending.

By: Col Bat Guano

05.14.2013 @ 1:26 PM

Please, the only sacrifice Jim was asking for was for Pam to pick up the slack for him while he tried to make a go of Athlead. Six months of him being gone half the time is not exactly a soul crushing burden. Her being completely unwilling to do that diminishes her character badly. This was an extremely poorly written arc that has sabotaged what until now a very sympathetic character.